How to Formula Feed Your Baby
You may have decided to start your baby out with infant formula. Or maybe you're waiting until you go back to work, or until he gets a little older. In any event, you probably have questions. Read on, and make yourself an expert on all things formula.
How to know when your baby is hungry.
Does he wake up and look alert? Move his hands or fists into his mouth? Make sucking noises? Or whimper and move his arms and legs? These are all cues that your baby is ready to eat.
How to give your baby his bottle.
- Don't prop the bottle. As much as your baby enjoys her bottle, she enjoys being held and comforted by you even more.
- Be sure that the formula is coming through the nipple at the right speed. Turn the bottle upside-down to check. If a few drops come out instead of a stream, it's the right flow.
- If you're using powdered formula, make sure no lumps of powder are clogging the nipple.
- Find a comfortable spot. Hold your baby in your lap or in the crook of your arm. Make sure your baby's head is higher than his tummy, and supported. If he's eating too horizontally, this can lead to an ear infection.
- The formula should completely fill the nipple so that air doesn't get into your baby's tummy. Even so, most babies will swallow some air during a feeding and will need to be burped.
Learn How to Properly Mix a Bottle
How to burp your baby.
There are three ways you can burp your baby. Try these techniques:
- Hold him upright against your shoulder and pat his back gently.
- Hold him upright on your lap, supporting his head and chest with your hands. Then rock him gently back and forth or pat his back.
- Place him across your lap with his stomach against your legs and rub his back gently.
Have a clean cloth ready in case a little formula comes up.
How to know when your baby is full.
If he closes his mouth, stops sucking, turns away, bites or plays with the bottle nipple, he might be done. Don't try to get him to finish a bottle if he is full. By the way, it's normal for him to be hungrier at some feedings than others. Let him tell you how much he needs.
Learn more about formula feeding. How much? How often?
How to deal with those 2 am feedings.
Hang in there. As your baby's stomach grows and can hold more, his sleeping patterns will become more regular. Keep late-night feedings quiet and calm and limit daytime naps to no more than 3 hours to help him learn day from night.
Read Some Formula Feeding FAQs